[EricaB]

Let me throw in my 2 cents yet again, this time about Pomegranate. I heard it is a good anti-inflammatory and a mild phyto-estrogen. I started taking it years ago for the anti-inflammatory properties, not knowing about any others. Now that I'm taking PM, I am concerned that the weak Pomegranate phyto-estrogen might latch onto an estrogen receptor and block the stronger PM phyto-estrogen from connecting there. For now I have stopped the Pomegranate (and St. John's Wort as well because the capsules are very similar and while away on vacation I cannot tell which is which). I'd love to be able to resume the Pomegranate. Any thoughts?

Alicia, sweetie, be careful about having your hands tied up. There are some very kinky movies that have a scene that begins that way. Bra-ha-ha-ha-ha (*wicked laugh*)

[Alicia]

Hey Gilly!
Don't worry, I would never criticize anybody's posting behaviour, because I am a terrible poster myself: I read a lot but never write much. But getting feedback is nice, and it's always welcome

I must admit I don't know much about nettle root. I'll do a search and read all related threads tomorrow in my lunch break (I must go to bed now). How much nettle leaf mg are in the tea you take? Do you alternate it with the spearmint and the fennel? Can you take it all month long? Do I ask too many questions? lol... sorry, you don't have to answer to all this, as I said this herb is almost new to me, so until I learn about it I'll be full of doubts. But it sounds perfect for me: anti-androgen, anti-inflammatory, good for allergies... what more can I ask for?
I don't think it will do any harm to try one more herb...
For the moment I hope something I'm taking will do the trick and minimize the allergic reactions once they begin, for example I know that fenugreek helps to cleanse mucus from the respiratory system.
I should be sneezing and sporting red itchy eyes by now, but the allergic season hasn't started yet because it hasn't rained much in the winter months, but once it begins I'll be suffering until mid July.

And girl... I envy the anti-acne effect you get from your herbs. My skin looked somewhat better while taking spearmint during follicular phase but the change to licorice (with peppermint) and fennel during luteal isn't doing much. In fact two new mini-pimples have appeared today. I suppose my androgens are waaaay higher than yours, so I'd probably need a 1.5l bottle with a mix of SP/WY/spearmint/peppermint/hops/licorice in it and drink it through the day lol.
But I'll keep on trying and trying


And Erica!
I didn't know about Pomegranate either. In fact I didn't know it was a weak phytoestrogen. I'm using a shower gel made from pomegranate, so I think I'll do a breast massage in the shower from now on lol. Remember that case of boys growing boobs after using a lavender shampoo?? teehee...
Jokes aside, as I said I don't know much about interactions, but if I were you I wouldn't risk hindering the effect of PM, so I wouldn't take the pomegranate and try something else, but I'm a big paranoid so don't listen to me. Perhaps Gilly can help you as she's taking PM too and knows more about herbs than I do.

Your comment about the kinky movies made laugh! I usually have a very dirty mind but I never thought of that while writing my previous post, it must be that my sexual drive is dropping again lol.

[Alicia]

Adding hops to my program round #3
I said I wouldn't take hops again but as I'm very stubborn I'm giving it another try. Just to make sure the side effects weren't a coincidence.
I'm on the 4th day of my period, so yes I'm feeling cramps and it's hard to say if they're caused by my period or by the hops, I'll see in a few days.

All the amazing swelling I had (I almost reached 91cm!) has gone away now that my period has arrived Whyyyyyyy?? *cries*

[gilly]

Hey Alicia

I've been taking about 2000 mg stinging nettle leaf per day along with 3000 mg spearmint per day, and I take them both all month. I do think the stinging nettle is helping me with my inflamed skin. I wrote a little about it on my program. But I don't think the nettle leaf has the same anti-androgen properties as the root does, or at least there haven't been any studies about it.

I'm sorry to hear about the skin issues during your luteal phase! I hope you figure something out there.
And I hope hops will treat you nicer this time around!!

[Alicia]

Thanks for sharing all the info on stinging nettle, Gilly.
I've been investigating about it and yes, it's confusing! I've read articles and reviews of nettle capsules and teas, and people say the same things of both the root and the leaf but, if I got it right, this is what I learnt (more or less what you told me ):
-Nettle Leaf is good for allergies. 100% sure of that, but there are some reviews that say the same of the root.
-Nettle Leaf is anti-inflammatory. At least Livestrong says so, but I read comments saying the same of the root...
-Nettle Root is an antiandrogen. 100% sure. That's why it's used in NBE (and it's similar to SP¿??). Once again, some people say the leaf helps with their acne too.

I suppose it's what you say: both parts of the plant have the same properties but one has a stronger effect than the other, I mean: root and leaf are antiandrogenic and antihistaminic, but the root's antiandrogen effect is more powerful than its antihistamine effect and the leaf is more antihistaminic than antiandrogenic.
I might be wrong though, I'll wait for the responses to your program thread

If I had to choose one of them I wouldn't know what to do... I'd pick the root¿?? I'll decide when I order my supplements!
Ooh and sadly my allergy started to kick in this past weekend and today I've had to take my first anti-histamine of the season ...that means that I should take the nettle leaf instead lol.
I'm doing an experiment: taking one more FG pill, to see if helps with the mucus, as some people claim.

Thanks again Gilly, and glad to read that you're better now! Lots of good luck!!



[P.S./Offtopic/notes to self:
-I forgot to mention in my previous post that I'm listening again to the rockmelon ringtone. This post by Isabelle inspired me to do it I got good results from it last summer, but they were temporary, perhaps it was just swelling? Anyway, I'm giving it another go!
-I've also switched to my hypnosis CD nº5: "Changing the past"
-I don't know why but now I always fall asleep during the sessions grrrrrr]

[Alicia]

I can't believe I called you Ginie, dear God, I spend too much time reading programs lol. Sorry Gilly

[gilly]

lol Alicia, I don't know when you called me ginie, but it's ok!

I just ordered both some nettle roots and some more of the leaves, so I will try doing both once they get here. I'm guessing they won't cancel each other out, and hopefully will work well together.

Good luck with the allergies!! hopefully fg can help there.
and lots of growth to ya

[Alicia]

Starting point (31-12-2011)..........Last month (2-3-2012)....................Today (1-4-2012)
Bust: 34.6" (88 cm)---------------Bust: 35" (89cm)--------------------Bust: 35.2” (89.5 cm)
Underbust: 28.5" (73 cm)----------Underbust: 28.5" (73 cm)------------Underbust: 28.5” (73cm)
Waist: 28" (71 cm)----------------Waist: 27.2" (69 cm)----------------Waist: 27.2” (69 cm)
Hips: 37.4" (95 cm)----------------Hips: 37" (94 cm)-------------------Hips: 36.6” (93 cm)


I was going to update a few days ago but my measurements have been so unstable I didn't know what to write... A few days ago I measured and it gave 90cm (yay), next day it gave 89 again (aw), next day 90 (yeehah) and during the day it decreased again (beh). Today I forgot to measure before applying my breast oil, so now they're very sticky lol, but it marks somewhere between 89 and 90, so there you go: 89.5cm LOL. So don't take this month's stats serioulsy. I'll check again after I ovulate.
My motivation bra fits a little bit better! It will take a lot of time to fill though! Besides that my breasts look the same to me, I'll take some pics but I will only post them if I see a great difference, which I doubt. I'm tired (and ashamed) of always posting pics with no visible improvement
The only way I can see a real change is when I stand under the lamp (don't laugh at me please, I have some weird ways for tracking my progress, this is one them lol): when I did this months ago I could “see” the ribs in the upper part of my boobs, now I can only see a tiny bit of them: the part closer to the cleavage (that is, if I had cleavage!)

And some strange things are happening in the hip department: My stats say I've lost 2cm since December, but last week I went to the shops to buy some trousers, for the first time in many, many months, and to my surprise I couldn't fit in any size 40 trousers (size 10 in the US? 12 in the UK¿??), which is the size I've been wearing for the last two years, but I fit perfectly in a size 42. I know sizes vary from one manufacturer to the other, but I bought three trousers from three different brands and they were all the same:42s.
An what's more surprising, I paid, took my trousers home and now I proudly sport my size 42 bum lol, a few months ago I would have got so upset at the thought of increasing one size! It must be an effect of the hops lol. Or perhaps I'm getting old and lazy.
So I don't know what's happening down there, I'm afraid it must be my belly getting fat¿?? I mean the hips are decreasing but the upper part of it+belly are increasing? But my belly looks the same to me, and all my skirts fit the same too! I'll keep on investigating, Dr. Watson...


Sorry for the rant.
What I've been doing:

MORNING:
-Saw Plametto Extract 320mg
-Fenugreek 1220mg
-Wild Yam 425mg
-Multivitamin
-Silicon (Orthosilicic Acid) 5mg
-Hops 620mg Follicular Phase only
-Rockmelon
-Supraliminal Plus Recording
-Chi massage 250 rotations with:
-La Femme lotion

MIDDAY / AFTERNOON:
-Saw Palmetto Extract 320mg
-Wild Yam 425mg
-Spearmint tea Follicular Phase Only
-Hops 620mg Follicular Phase Only
-Protein shake
-Rockmelon
-Subliminal recording
-Yoga
-Exercise (sit ups, abdominal wheel, walking)

NIGHT:
-Fenugreek 1220mg
-Wild Yam 425mg
-Silicon (Orthosilicic Acid) 5mg
-Hops 930/1240mg Follicular Phase Only
-Spearmint tea Follicular Phase Only
-Egyptian Licorice Mint / Fennel tea Luteal Phase Only
-Protein shake
-Chi massage 400/500 rotations with:
-La Femme Lotion
-Rockmelon
-Hypnosis
-Supraliminal/HGH Booster on repeat

On days 1 and 15 of cycle I don't take any herb, only the orthosilicic acid, the multivitamin and the protein shakes.
I think I should rename this thread to “Hypnosis, massage and a LOT of herbs” lol.

A little commentary:

-Saw Palmetto: I've finally doubled the dose. It's only been a week so it's soon to say if it's doing any good. No side effects for the moment.

-Hops: It's been nice to me this time. Perhaps because I'm also taking WY now? As the experience has been succesful I think I'll include it during the luteal phase too, but in low doses.

-Biosil (orthosilicic acid): I really hope it helps in my NBE, but for the moment a couple of people have complimented on my hair Not sure if the Biosil has something to do, I believe it takes up to 4 or 6 months to see results.

-Egyptian Licorice+Peppermint: For this luteal phase I'll drop the fennel (or take very little) and drink only the Egyptian tea, perhaps throwing some spearmint in the mix. I hope I don't mess my cycle doing this, but I need antiandrogens, antiandroooooogens!!!

-Hypnosis: No matter how hard I try, I always fall asleep! So now I skip the first 10 min induction and hey, I don't fall asleep during the session anymore! Yeah I'm not as relaxed as I should be, but at least I can listen, follow instructions and visualize without struggling with Morpheus.

-La Femme Lotion: Now I'm taking the 10 day rest adviced on the label, so I'm using the cocoa oil mixed with a couple of drops of EPO (I'm recycling the capsules).

-Exercise: I've rescued my old abdominal wheel. I bought it years ago but never figured out how to use it properly. And that's funny because it's just a simple little device made of plastic and metal! I won't overuse it because I don't know if it's good for the breast muscles or not, but I really want to tone up my belly and stop fat accumulating there.

And I think that's all, Happy growing everyone!!

[Alicia]

Quick update on what I'm doing now, during luteal phase:
-Hops 1240/1860mg (I'm running out of capsules so I adjust the dose every few days)
-SP extract 640mg
-WY 1700mg
-FG 1220mg
-Licorice root tea
-Egyptian Licorice Mint tea
-Massage with cocoa oil+ vit E+ EPO (I'm not using La Femme anymore)

The rest of the routine is the same as in my last post. Btw I forgot to include the pressure points and the fat brushing! I still do them, in fact the fat brushing is my favourite massage! I also do the lymphatic massage 2 or 3 times per week, and check my breast tissue every 2 weeks, I've noticed a bunch of weird long oval bumps behind both nipples, not sure if they're milk ducts, I'd say they weren't there last time I checked.

I'm not sure if it's ok not to cycle the hops, but it seems my breasts are responding to it, or at least so I think!

I'm keeping my acne at bay, my skin looks better, yeah!! It must be the double dose of SP.

I didn't feel any pain at all during ovulation this time (an effect of the Wild Yam?). And I totally fail at charting my basal temp... some days I forget to take it, and most days I take it at different times because I have a weird sleeping pattern lol... So I have no idea whether I've ovulated or not! I hope I have...

I'm writing everything in my notebook and experiment with the doses depending on what I feel.

Best wishes to all of you boobie lovers!!

[gilly]

congrats on your skin looking better! Glad to hear sp helped you there. AND so happy to see that the hops has been treating you better!

Keep us updated